"Visualizing Art History: Experimental Animation and Its Mentor, Jules Engel" is non-fiction feature film focused on the critical history of an experimental art form and the power of an artist-mentor-educator to transform its creative practice and art history.

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Memorable Quotes

“As a former student of Jules Engel’s, I was elated to learn of Janeann Dill’s feature documentary film. Not only was Jules Engel a seminal figure in the history of animation, he also had a profound influence on countless generations of animators. He truly was the most influential artistic person in my life. I consider him my “Art Dad.” The work he produced both professionally

and personally was groundbreaking and is still cracking it as I write.

Jules always promoted the notion that animation could be a means of personal expression. Jules Engel’s films are true examples of the unlimited possibility that the art form of animation offers. Janeann Dill is the perfect director to document Jules Engel’s life and work. Her commitment and knowledge

Guggenheim Foundation Fellow

“It is very emotional for me to see Jules on film, because it

transports me back to my beginnings as an animation filmmaker,

at Cal Arts. Jules made me realize that animation filmmaking was

the ultimate art form, the synthesis of all the arts. He also was such

a generous teacher, encouraging experimentation, and self-expression.

Bravo to Janeann for capturing him on film, so that Jules can be

brought to a wider audience.”

— Joyce Borenstein, Academy Award® Nominee

‘My Father’s Colors’ (Director-Animator-Writer) National Film Board of Canada

“This is such a fantastic and deserving tribute to Jules, and you’re just

the one to do it, Janeann! A long overdue project by one great filmmaker

about another.”

— Jon Stout, Co-Founder and General Manager, Free Speech TV

Fellow, Rockefeller Foundation Next Generation Leadership Program

Professional Freedom and Responsibility Award, Association of Education

“Jules was a wonderful teacher – inspiring and empowering!”

— Steven Subotnick, MacDowell Fellow

Independent Animation Artist and International Award Winner

Critic, Rhode Island School of Design (Providence), Visiting Professor at Harvard University

“Jules’ comments on my work still echo in my mind after 30 years.

I switched mediums from animation to stone sculpture a few years ago

and his words still apply.”

— Ellen Woodbury, Sculptor

Lead Animator, Walt Disney Productions (Lion King, “Zazu,” et. al.)

“My time at Cal Arts was a very exciting, magical era. At the center of

this magic was Jules Engel. I will never forget when I first met him. I had recently been somewhat traumatized by a former teacher who on viewing my storyboard (probably my first) was immediately very critical insofar as the story logic was concerned. When I got to Cal Arts, I met Jules in the now legendary animation room, which was at the time much sparser. He was standing behind a table, waiting to meet his mentees. I immediately told him I was not interested in working with “story,” and he instantly reassured me in his gentlemanly way that nothing like this would be necessary. From that moment on I found myself in the hands of a master teacher. He never interfered. He always gave the artist their space. Years later, I chatter and fuss and meddle with my students … am in awe of his spectacular self-control and power as a teacher. A true zen, he is an extraordinary ‘invisible’ teacher … very much like an extremely fine and subtle psychiatrist … you don’t know what’s being done to you at the time, but years later the words ring in your ears. In fact, he very clearly predicted that I would be dancing with my films a good fifteen years before

I suddenly found myself doing it.”

— Kathy Rose, Animation Artist, Installation and Performance

Guggenheim Foundation Fellow in Performance Art,

National Endowment for the Arts and New York State Council for the Arts Fellow

Master Lecturer, Media Arts Department, University of the Arts (Philadelphia)